3 more traffic deaths on El Paso's streets, freeways as death toll grows in 2023

With more than a week left in 2023, El Paso has reached 79 traffic-related deaths following a recent rash of fatal crashes, including some involving drunken driving, police officials said.

By comparison, El Paso police officials said there were 72 traffic fatalities at this time last year. The latest fatal crashes include a woman killed when her car stopped on Loop 375 and a driver facing an intoxication manslaughter charge after a wreck on Interstate 10.

The Texas Department of Transportation is currently running its statewide "Drive Sober. No Regrets" campaign urging drivers to use caution and avoid consuming alcohol and other drugs before getting behind the wheel this holiday season.

Woman killed after car stops on Loop 375

El Paso police traffic investigators were informed earlier this week that a woman died at a hospital after her car was struck by an SUV late Sunday night, Dec. 17, on Loop 375 in the far East Side.

The crash occurred at 11:25 p.m. after a 2008 Nissan Sentra driven by Perla Canales, 43, of East El Paso, came to a complete stop for unknown reasons on the southbound lanes of Loop 375 near the Vista Del Sol entrance, police said.

Previously: 2 motorcyclists, pedestrian killed as El Paso traffic deaths surpass 70

The Sentra was hit from behind by a 2004 Honda Element that was entering onto Loop 375 from the Vista Del Sol on-ramp, police said. Canales was mortally injured and taken to a hospital, where she later died.

The driver of the Honda, Jorge Saucedo, 38, of East El Paso, and a 2-year-old child passenger were injured and transported to a hospital. An 18-year-old woman passenger left while officers were investigating the scene, police said. No charges were announced.

The case was the 79th traffic-related death of the year on the streets and highways of El Paso, according to Police Department figures.

Driver in I-10 crash faces manslaughter charge in passenger's death

A driver faces a charge of intoxication manslaughter after his passenger died early Sunday when a car crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer stopped on the right shoulder of Interstate 10 in West El Paso, police said.

Martin Medina, 31, was allegedly intoxicated during a car crash that killed Alexander Ortiz, also 31, police said. Both men are from Chaparral, New Mexico.

The crash occurred at 2:55 a.m. while the eastbound lanes of the freeway were closed because of an earlier crash when a hit-and-run driver struck and killed the mother of a Socorro police officer while the family was changing a flat tire on Saturday night along I-10 near Porfirio Diaz Street, just west of Downtown.

The roadway closure had caused a semitruck driven by Haroon Ershad Khan, 54, of McLean, Virginia, to park on the right emergency lane of I-10 East near Executive Center Boulevard, police said.

For unknown reasons, Medina veered to the right and crashed into the left rear corner of the trailer, slicing the right side and the roof off the Nissan. Ortiz was thrown out of the car in the impact and killed. Medina remained inside. Neither man was using a seatbelt, police said.

Fabens teacher dies after rollover crash in South-Central

A Fabens High School teacher died from his injuries at a hospital following a rollover crash last week in South-Central El Paso.

The crash occurred shortly after 2:45 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, at the curve in the 4200 block of Alameda Avenue near Evergreen Cemetery and Chico's Tacos.

Fernando Gutierrez, 52, of Central El Paso, was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer eastbound when he lost control at the curve, drove up onto the median curb and then overcorrected before the SUV rolled, police said.

Gutierrez was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. The police Special Traffic Investigations Unit was notified of his death earlier this week.

More: Socorro woman arrested on intoxication manslaughter charge in fatal UTV fall

The Fabens Independent School District said on a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Gutierrez was an English teacher at Fabens High School. "We offer his family our thoughts and prayers at this time."

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 3 more die in El Paso traffic crashes as 2023 death toll grows